PPL's off-peak prices can help save money

PPL Electric customers who haven't selected a competitor to provide electricity might be eligible for an adjustable rate based on the time of day they use it.

DAVID PIERCE

PPL Electric customers who haven't selected a competitor to provide electricity might be eligible for an adjustable rate based on the time of day they use it.

Under the plan, customers will pay less for electricity consumed during low-demand times — such as evenings and mornings — but pay more for electricity consumed during peak-demand hours.

"It's about giving the customer more choices," said PPL spokesman Ryan Hill.

Prices PPL charges its customers went up about 30 percent this year as part of electric deregulation approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Other companies are freely competing for new customers in the PPL service territory, which includes most of Monroe County.

Current PPL customers might reduce costs by opting for the time-of-use program, Hill said, but are still likely to reduce costs even more by selecting one of the competing providers.

"It's not meant to compete with offers from competitive suppliers," Hill said.

Competitors' offers are for the cost of electricity, plus the cost those competitors pay to PPL to transmit that energy through PPL lines, and taxes. It is the so-called "rate to compare" cited in PPL customer mailings prior to deregulation on Jan. 1.

PPL is moving away from the business of supplying electricity while focusing its core efforts on operating the transmission system. Those who choose competitive suppliers will continue to receive a single bill from PPL that includes all charges.

For remaining PPL residential customers, the "price to compare" they currently pay is 10.445 cents per kilowatt hour. If those customers opt to join the time-of-use program, the "anticipated" off-peak non-summer use cost would be less — 10.157 per kWh — but on-peak use would be more — 13.709 per kWh.

To save money compared to PPL's standard rate, customers would have to use considerably more power during off-peak hours than at on-peak hours. The good news is that only two hours each day — 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. — are considered peak hours between Jan. 1 and May 31, or October through December.

During the summer period — June through September — peak demand (and peak cost) hours are 1 p.m. through 6 p.m. Off-peak summer charge is 9.354 and the on-peak charge is 15.694.

PPL's Web site provides an interactive energy calculator that consumers can use to see if the time-of-day program would save money.

"They can see where their energy dollars are going," Hill said. "They can receive tips on how to save based on what they tell us about their home."

Go to www.pplelectric.com/e-power.

Barrett-Paradise Friendly Library is hosting a PPL program today on energy-saving tips in the library's community room at 1 p.m. Call the library at (570) 595-7171 to reserve a seat.